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2013/09/19 13:03:04
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
News > Houston & Texas10-year-old among kids arrested in 'brutal' bike trail robberies
By Craig Hlavaty | September 18, 2013 | Updated: September 18, 2013 11:18pm Comments 66 E-mail Print Tweet 0 Page 1 of 1
Mayra Beltran, Houston Chronicle
Nine juveniles, including a 10-year-old, have been arrested in a series of sometimes brutal robberies along a downtown-area bike trail, Houston police said.
The nine told police they were an aspiring offshoot of a Third Ward gang, authorities said Wednesday when announcing the arrests.
The nine are also believed responsible for more than seven similar robberies near the Columbia Tap trail, police said. A map of the nearly four-mile trail can be seen here.
In some of the attacks, the juveniles, all boys, used guns. They told authorities the robberies were done for fun and money, police said.
"They thought it was a good summer activity," said Houston Police Department Captain Glenn Yorek. "Some said they needed money to eat or to buy shoes."
The juveniles, arrested on Tuesday, weren't taking direction from the older gang, said department spokesman John Cannon. HPD found no official ties with the gang, he said.
The teens are 10 to 16 and live near the trail. Many were arrested at schools in the area, where they are students. Some have previous criminal records.
The 10-year-old was charged with the robbery. The rest were charged with organized crime. All were referred to Harris County juvenile probation. Yorek said authorities consider the crimes gang-related.
The attacks began in mid-May and targeted victims, from college students to senior citizens, in the mid-morning and early evening, Yorek said. They struck 13 times on the bike trail between North MacGregor and the Gulf Freeway service road.
The captain described some of the beatings as "brutal." In one instance, the attackers broke someone's collar bone and ribs. Other times, the robbers hit their victims in the back of the head, followed with beatings by at least two attackers.
The attackers would jump out at bicyclists and joggers on the trail, knocking over their victims and rob them. Sometimes the robbers took the bikes, knowing which ones were higher-end models, police said.
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
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2013/09/19 14:33:17
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
Seriously though, I hope some 2nd amendment defenders choke to death on this and the other news bits. You can keep your pistols, your hunting rifles, and all other stuff. Lets just make sure some real screening is in place, so kids and the mental can't get guns.
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Lt. Coldfire wrote:Seems to me that you should be refereeing and handing out red cards--like a boss.
Seriously though, I hope some 2nd amendment defenders choke to death on this and the other news bits. You can keep your pistols, your hunting rifles, and all other stuff. Lets just make sure some real screening is in place, so kids and the mental can't get guns.
Er what does that have to do with the article again?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/19 16:53:24
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2013/09/19 17:02:45
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
juraigamer wrote: Seriously though, I hope some 2nd amendment defenders choke to death on this and the other news bits. You can keep your pistols, your hunting rifles, and all other stuff. Lets just make sure some real screening is in place, so kids and the mental can't get guns.
Because no laws were already being broken, right?
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2013/09/20 05:50:21
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
juraigamer wrote: Seriously though, I hope some 2nd amendment defenders choke to death on this and the other news bits. You can keep your pistols, your hunting rifles, and all other stuff. Lets just make sure some real screening is in place, so kids and the mental can't get guns.
Why should 2nd Amendment defenders choke on this news?
2013/09/20 06:13:05
Subject: Re:10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
I didnt say Firearms. I said Weapons.
A knife is a weapon, Which I am sure the kids used. The ten year old didnt just go up and say "give me all your cash"
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2013/09/20 16:50:21
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
They used guns and other weapons. They also flat out knocked over joggers and folks on bikes. Access to 'weapons' in this case really made no difference. They would have used baseball bats and broom handles if nothing else was available. It has everything to do with bad intent and belief that the gang culture is good and gang membership to be aspired to.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2013/09/20 17:00:58
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
hotsauceman1 wrote: I didnt say Firearms. I said Weapons. A knife is a weapon, Which I am sure the kids used. The ten year old didnt just go up and say "give me all your cash"
Fair point, but you were however commenting on an incident in which firearms were involved. It is not an unreasonable conclusion to think that you meant firearms
2013/09/20 17:25:27
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
There needs to be some kind of harsh punishment. Kids look at situations from the perspective of "What do I have to gain from this?" The problem is that they had popularity, money, and entrainment to gain and the only risk is the slap on the wrists they will be receiving. Sure you can put them in a detention center or whatever, but chances are their life was crummy anyways so they don't really lose anything.
There needs to be creativity in their punishment that will deter their peers. Deprivation of something valued or extreme embarrassment are the fears of most kids.... play on that.
There needs to be creativity in their punishment that will deter their peers. Deprivation of something valued or extreme embarrassment are the fears of most kids.... play on that.
I do not think our system would allow embarrassment as punishment. I also don't think embarrassment is a suitable punishment for beating the gak out of some poor bastard then robbing him. Depriving them of freedom is about the best our system will allow in this case. The odds of these kids being successfully rehabilitated are very poor. They are most likely going to be a burden on society in one way or another for ever. The key is to keep the damage they cause to innocents at a minimum.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
2013/09/20 17:39:06
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
gossipmeng wrote: There needs to be some kind of harsh punishment. Kids look at situations from the perspective of "What do I have to gain from this?" The problem is that they had popularity, money, and entrainment to gain and the only risk is the slap on the wrists they will be receiving. Sure you can put them in a detention center or whatever, but chances are their life was crummy anyways so they don't really lose anything.
There needs to be creativity in their punishment that will deter their peers. Deprivation of something valued or extreme embarrassment are the fears of most kids.... play on that.
How about fear of not breathing on a permanent basis? 1. Go after all record companies that make videos/music glorifying gang violence. Audit them creatively until they get the hint. 2. Put criminals under the jail. 3. Fix the inner city school systems - both in quality and discipline. If you act up you're thrown out. If you're thrown out all public assistance is automatically denied to you and your parent (tied to you) for 10 years. 4. Legalize illicit substances commonly used ala ending Prohibition. Takes away the big money driver.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/20 17:39:56
-"Wait a minute.....who is that Frazz is talking to in the gallery? Hmmm something is going on here.....Oh.... it seems there is some dispute over video taping of some sort......Frazz is really upset now..........wait a minute......whats he go there.......is it? Can it be?....Frazz has just unleashed his hidden weiner dog from his mini bag, while quoting shakespeares "Let slip the dogs the war!!" GG
-"Don't mind Frazzled. He's just Dakka's crazy old dude locked in the attic. He's harmless. Mostly."
-TBone the Magnificent 1999-2014, Long Live the King!
2013/09/20 17:43:42
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
Trust me.... I'd be the first to vote in favour of Saudi-like punishment. Don't want your hand cut off? No problem, don't steal.... I'd attend the odd public stoning every month or so if it was on my way to work...
I know it's not going to happen though, so I'm just throwing some ideas out there.
gossipmeng wrote: There needs to be some kind of harsh punishment. Kids look at situations from the perspective of "What do I have to gain from this?" The problem is that they had popularity, money, and entrainment to gain and the only risk is the slap on the wrists they will be receiving. Sure you can put them in a detention center or whatever, but chances are their life was crummy anyways so they don't really lose anything.
There needs to be creativity in their punishment that will deter their peers. Deprivation of something valued or extreme embarrassment are the fears of most kids.... play on that.
How about fear of not breathing on a permanent basis?
1. Go after all record companies that make videos/music glorifying gang violence. Audit them creatively until they get the hint.
2. Put criminals under the jail.
3. Fix the inner city school systems - both in quality and discipline. If you act up you're thrown out. If you're thrown out all public assistance is automatically denied to you and your parent (tied to you) for 10 years. 4. Legalize illicit substances commonly used ala ending Prohibition. Takes away the big money driver.
Legalizing illicit substances would only have a very small effect.
I can all but guarantee that they would be highly regulated and heavily taxed. And there would be an age limit.
Thus, you'd still have a market for black market drugs that are skipping out on taxes. And anybody that is underage(or selling to underage users) would still have to be targeted by law enforcement.
So really, you only make it harder for law enforcement and create a different kind of black market.
Plus you still have the effects of the drugs themselves. A Stoner isn't a burden on society because weed is illegal, its because he's using weed. Only difference is he isn't going to be tossed in jail, only a minor benefit to society.
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Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
streamdragon wrote: While I am in agreement that this is awful, I'm also saddened when I read things like this:
"Some said they needed money to eat or to buy shoes."
It may just be the way you interpreted it. I picture some well fed kids laughing about their "score" in a local McDonalds ordering 2 big macs each.
They probably said to eat because they had nothing better to spend the money on... not that they were starving and robbing out of necessity - this is clear by the fact that they probably picked up a pair of Jordans afterwards.
streamdragon wrote: While I am in agreement that this is awful, I'm also saddened when I read things like this:
"Some said they needed money to eat or to buy shoes."
It may just be the way you interpreted it. I picture some well fed kids laughing about their "score" in a local McDonalds ordering 2 big macs each.
They probably said to eat because they had nothing better to spend the money on... not that they were starving and robbing out of necessity - this is clear by the fact that they probably picked up a pair of Jordans afterwards.
Cause YO DAWG NEED THEM SHOES BRO, MAD TIGHT!
The kids said they were imitating and hoping to join a gang. There is an extremely high correlation between that and poverty (as well as poverty and crime), which lead me to my initial idea that these were not rich white kids doing this purely for kicks. Rich white kids apparently break into the home of NFL players and throw ridiculous parties.
2013/09/20 20:55:46
Subject: Re:10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
gossipmeng wrote: There needs to be some kind of harsh punishment. Kids look at situations from the perspective of "What do I have to gain from this?" The problem is that they had popularity, money, and entrainment to gain and the only risk is the slap on the wrists they will be receiving. Sure you can put them in a detention center or whatever, but chances are their life was crummy anyways so they don't really lose anything.
There needs to be creativity in their punishment that will deter their peers. Deprivation of something valued or extreme embarrassment are the fears of most kids.... play on that.
How about fear of not breathing on a permanent basis?
1. Go after all record companies that make videos/music glorifying gang violence. Audit them creatively until they get the hint.
2. Put criminals under the jail.
3. Fix the inner city school systems - both in quality and discipline. If you act up you're thrown out. If you're thrown out all public assistance is automatically denied to you and your parent (tied to you) for 10 years. 4. Legalize illicit substances commonly used ala ending Prohibition. Takes away the big money driver.
Harsher punishment doesn't work. There is still plenty of crime in Saudi Arabia, after all.
The first part of suggestion 3 and all of suggestion 4 WILL have a positive effect on reducing crime. If there is better education and nutrition during childhood, there is less likelihood of turning to crime as an adult. Remove the massive, massive profits to be had selling drugs and the real crime around it will lessen. Yes, there still is bootleggers and cigarette smuggling but the real crime around it is nothing like the real crime around drugs.
Grey Templar wrote: Legalizing illicit substances would only have a very small effect.
I can all but guarantee that they would be highly regulated and heavily taxed. And there would be an age limit.
Thus, you'd still have a market for black market drugs that are skipping out on taxes. And anybody that is underage(or selling to underage users) would still have to be targeted by law enforcement.
So really, you only make it harder for law enforcement and create a different kind of black market.
Plus you still have the effects of the drugs themselves. A Stoner isn't a burden on society because weed is illegal, its because he's using weed. Only difference is he isn't going to be tossed in jail, only a minor benefit to society.
You really need to get out and experience life more. Weed isn't bad, mmmkay? Any more than coffee or cigarettes or alcohol.
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2013/09/21 20:55:24
Subject: 10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
Thats funny, because last I checked Alcohol and Cigarettes are very bad for you.
Cigarettes especially, no real safe way to be a smoker. you'd think the people trying to ban junk food would go after something that is definitely going to harm people(and those around them) instead of something that only might end up causing health problems.
Alcohol can kill you even faster. But it can be used safely in proper amounts.
And you know what, even if the black market for weed disappeared overnight, they'd just shift their focus over to Heroin and Crack. And there is no argument for those being safe.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/21 20:58:52
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Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
Sure, cigarettes, alcohol and coffee aren't safe, that's not what is being claimed. But they aren't so bad that they are outlawed and a billion dollar murderous criminal industry built around that fact.
Any drug is less safe when it is outlawed. That is a fact. Check alcohol. Any bootleggers gunning each other down in the streets? Hardly. Drug dealers? Yes.
We were once so close to heaven, St. Peter came out and gave us medals; declaring us "The nicest of the damned".
“Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
2013/09/21 22:36:24
Subject: Re:10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
There's too much of a drug smuggling infrastructure in place for it to simply go away if what they are selling is legalized.
1) They'll still be able to make money selling it cheaper than what ever legal stuff you can find.
2) They'll still sell other drugs(there's way more than weed coming over the border)
Both those together mean drug dealers will still be infesting the streets.
All legalizing weed will do is mean we reduce people in jail for simple possession. But you'll still have people for selling it illegally, selling to minors, etc...
Weed will have at least the same requirements for selling as Tobacco and Alcohol does, anybody selling it outside those will still be violating the law. The guy that sells down on the corner isn't going to quit his "job" because its now available at the local Dispensary, he's still going to sell it illegally. Thus Law Enforcement will still have to go after him(and anyone buying from him illegally)
Legalization is not going to suddenly fix drug violence or make it go away. It might do that over time, but it would be very much a long LONG term change, assuming it did actually help(we don't know if it would)
The reasons I outlined above are ways it could easily do nothing or make it worse.
Prohibition is a logical trap for saying it would work. Alcohol is in a very different position to weed. Alcohol had been legal for basically forever and was then illegal for a very short time.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2013/09/21 22:46:38
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
@Grey Templar Look at other places where drugs have been legalized or their use decriminalized. I'm sorry but the case for prohibition just isn’t there. No one is saying drugs are good for you but they are FAR worse for individuals and society as a whole when they are illegal. Crack heroin and meth included.
The below links are articles covering the situation in Portugal, just as reference/examples
Also
"Alcohol is in a very different position to weed. Alcohol had been legal for basically forever and was then illegal for a very short time." Not at all accurate, weed has also been legal "basicly" forever. In 1619 King John "ordered every colonist to grow 100 plants specifically for export" Canabis wasnt banned untill the 20th century.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2013/09/21 23:12:56
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2013/09/21 23:11:42
Subject: Re:10year olds arresyed for armed robberies on bike trails
Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios
Those places never had the insane drug trafficking that we do here.
You are not comparing apples to apples.
Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines
Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.
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